Fqa results.indd

A Floristic Quality Assessment of Finton Natural Area was conducted by Greg LaCross during the summer of 2003.
Floristic quality assessments (FQAs) are a useful tool to measure a plant community’s conservation value. To perform an FQA, all vascular plant species in a community are quantified and an index representing the rarity of these species is summed to give a ranking that can be compared across different ecosystem types. This information can then be used to identify high-quality species and groupings of species in order to prioritize conservation and management efforts. At Finton Natural Area the total number of species and native species are:
The coefficient of conservation (C) is a value between 0 and 10 assigned to each species, representing the species likelihood to occur in an unaltered, pre-European settlement landscape in the state of Michigan (Herman et al 2001). A C-value of 0 is assigned to species with low fidelity to their natural habitat and the ability to persist in numerous habitat conditions. A C-value of 0 is assigned to invasive species, also called adventives. At Finton Natural Area the mean C-values are:
The coefficient of wetness (W) is assigned to each species depending on their probability to occur in wetlands, where species with a W-value of -5 are obligatory wetland species, and those with a W-value of +5 are upland species. At Finton Natural Area the mean coefficients of wetness are:
FQIs less than 20 have minimal significance, while FQIs greater than 35 represent areas of conservation importance and are floristically significant on a statewide level. Areas with FQIs greater than 50 are extremely rare and represent areas of significant native biodiversity (Herman et al 2001). At Finton Natural Area the FQI’s are:
May, L. 2012. Floristic Quality Aassessment and Habitat Mapping of Belanger Creek Preserve
Herman, K. D., L. A. Masters, M. R. Penskar, A. A. Reznicek, G. S. Wilhelm, W. W. Brodovich, and K. P. Gardiner. 2001. Floristic Quality Assess-ment with Wetland Categories and Examples of Computer Applications for the State of Michigan – Revised, 2nd Edition. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife, Natural Heritage Program. Lansing, MI. 19 pp. + Appendices.
Leelanau Conservancy 105 North First Street/PO Box 1007, Leland, MI 49654 231-256-9665 www.leelanauconservancy.org
This list represents the most ecologically significant and high quality plants found at the Finton Natural Area during a 2003 Floristic Quality Assessment conducted by Greg LaCross. These plants are the highest quality species found on the property and therefore may be rare, difficult to find, or not be blooming depending on the season
Please remember to practice Leave No Trace techniques; picking flowers may not seem like a big deal, but it means others won’t have a chance to enjoy them. With thousands of people visiting Conservancy properties, the less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have. If you are interested in conducting a scientific study on the property please contact the Conservancy for written permission.
C Scientific NameCommon Name
To see pictures or learn more about the plants listed above please visit the Michigan Natural Features Inventory website at http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/data/specialplants.cfm or consult Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb.
Leelanau Conservancy 105 North First Street/PO Box 1007, Leland, MI 49654 231-256-9665 www.leelanauconservancy.org
FLORISTIC QUALITY DATA